Valves

ABSTRACT

A valve closure member formed as a piston in a sleeve with the valve being lifted out of the sleeve to enable slurry to pass, the piston being supplied with a special wiper provided to clean the sleeve on reciprocation therein with the valve also being guided back into the sleeve on closure. A peripheral track is provided around the sleeve to act as a trap for pebbles passing through the sleeve.

United States Patent 1191 Reynolds Feb. 13, 1973 I VALVES [75] Inventor:Robin Francis Norman Reynolds,

'Sandton, Transvaal, South Africa [73] Assignee: African Wire RopesLimited, Johannesburg, Transvaal, South Africa [22] Filed: Dec. 8, 1970Appl. No.: 96,205

Foreign Application Priority Data 2,148,850 2 1939 Deakins..... ....137s33.23

2,341,018 2/1944 Clapp ..13'/ 244 2,401,129 5/ 1 946 Arnold ..137 244Primary ExaminerHenry T. Klinksiek Assistant Examiner-Richard GerardAttorney-Sughrue, Rothwell, Mion, Zinn & Macpeak A valve closure memberformed as a piston in a sleeve with the valve being lifted out of thesleeve to enable slurry to pass, the piston being supplied with aspecial wiper provided to clean the sleeve on reciprocation therein withthe valve also being guided back into the sleeve on closure. Aperipheral track is provided around the sleeve to act as a trap forpebbles passing through thesleeve. I

ABSTRACT References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 8 Claims, 1 DrawingFigure 2,305,211 l2/I942 Walton ..l37/DIG. 7

/A V/ /A% 2 J PATENTEDFEB13 ma 10m mum worm 11/2/41 0;

.VALVES THIS invention relates to valves of the kind specially adaptedfor use in fluid lines where'solid material in pellet, grit or like formmay be in transit. Sludges and .fully operative efficiencynotwithstanding the presence of the solid material previously referredto. ln this regard it is well known that a small stone or the liketrapped between the seat and the valve closure member of a mushroomvalve'arrangement could render the valve wholly inoperative. It isbelieved that this situation will not normally arise with thearrangement of the invention.

According to the invention a valve includes a cylindrical sleeveconstitutingpart of a pathway through the valve, a chamber into whichthe sleeve passes, a valve closure member in the form of a pistonreciprocable in the sleeve and capable of being raised into the chamberclear of the sleeve to permit fluid sludgeor the like to flow throughthe sleeve towards the chamber, and a wiper region around the pistonwhich is biased into engagement with the walls of the sleeve bore andwhich acts to cleanse the bore as the closure member reciprocatestherein.

The wiper may be a circumferentially disposed brush arrangement whichsweeps over the bore walls, or alternativ'ely, it may be one or morerubber or rubberlike discs- Also according to the invention resilientsealing means is anchored around the periphery of the closure memberwhich is biased into engagement with the bore walls of the sleeve.Preferably the sealing means is a resilient sealing ring which defines acircumferential channel with its mouth directed towards the chamber andits outer wall flared to engage the walls of the sleeve bore.

Further according to the invention the closure member is surmounted by aguide formation which acts to constrain the closure member for movementgravitationally ina path which returns it to the bore of the sleeve on.closure of the valve and which limits the return travel of the closuremember;

According further to the invention the formation is a pedestalarrangement which projects upwardly from the closure member andterminates in a mushroom head zone which is located in a compartmentseparated from the chamber. Preferably the compartment is maintainedfilled with a liquidpreferably under pressure to ensure bleeding fromthe chamber into the com partment at a minimal level or to establishbleeding in the direction of the chamber.

The invention also provides for an arrangement wherein the sleeveprojects into'the chamber so that when the sleeve is substantiallyvertically located an annular duct is provided around the sleeve zonelocated in the chamber which serves as a trap preventing return ofpebbles and the like down the sleeve.

In order to illustrate the invention an example is described hereunderwith reference to the accompanying drawing which is a vertical sectionthrough one form of valve falling within the ambit of the attachedclaims.

Referring to the drawing the valve comprises a casing 1 defining achamber 2 into which a sleeve-like inlet 3 passes, there being asuitable outlet 4 from the chamber so that pumped sludge or the likeentering the chamber through the inlet sleeve 3 may ultimately proceedalong the fluid line via the outlet 4, the general movement of thematerial through the pipeline being in the direction of arrows 5.

The valve closure member 6 is in the nature of a piston which is capableof reciprocating in the bore of the inlet sleeve 3 and of being raisedcompletely clear of the sleeveas is shown inthe accompanying drawing.

In the raised position material is free to flow through the pipe linebut on pumping ceasing the piston closure member returns to the bore ofthe sleeve gravitationally to prevent return of sludge down the pipeline.

In the example under consideration the piston is characterized in avertically directed pedestal 7 which is fast with the piston andprojects upwardly so that its free end 8 is located in a compartment 9with the free end terminating in a mushroom type head 10 so that thepiston is restrained from falling through the sleeve. In addition aguide shaft 11 is located beneath the piston which slides in guide 12.

The piston itself is formed of a lower region defining a wiper brush 13the bristles of which are mounted on a hub 14 and which projectoutwardly to form a sweeping engagement with the bore of the inletsleeve 3. While the valve is closing the sleeve walls are thereforewiped clean'of grit which may otherwise serve to impair the efficiencyof the operation. An upper region of the piston also forms an anchoragefor a sealing ring 15 of resiliently flexible material. This ring istrapped in position, as is the wiper brush, by suitable end platesl6 andit will be seen to define a circumferential channel 17 directed towardsthe chamber when the piston is in the sleeve. In the valve closedposition the outer wall 18 of the sealing ring is necessarily forcedinto engagement with the walls of the sleeve by the pressure of fluid inthe chamber. Sealing of the pipeline against reverse flow is thereforeassured.

Compartment 9 is intended to be filled with a suitable liquid which inthis example is under pressure to the extent that bleeding the the gland19 in the direction of the compartment from the chamber 2 is minimal.

. Preferably, should any bleeding occur the flow should be in theopposite direction. The respective pressures in chamber 2 andcompartment 9 are so nearly equal that any biasing effect from thesepressures acting on returning to the downstream side of the valve.

As an alternative to the wiper brush 13 one or more rubber orrubber-like discs may be mounted on the piston so that their peripheralregions act to sweep down the walls of the sleeve bore.

lclaim:

l. A valve comprising a valve housing including a cylindricalsleeveforming a bore in the valve housing; a chamber into which the sleevepasses; a valve closure member reciprocable in the sleeve and capable ofbeing raised into the chamber clear of the sleeve to perincluding amushroom headed pedestal connected to partment, the compartment beingadapted to be filled with liquid under pressure to ensure that anybleeding from the chamber into the compartment will be at a minimallevel. I

2. The valve claimed in claim 1 in which the wiper meansis a brushmember.

3. The valve claimed in claim I further including a second guide meansincluding a guide shaft mounted on the opposite endof the valve closuremember from the first guide means.

4. The valve claimed in claim 1 including a resilient sealing meansanchored around the periphery of the closure member which is biased intoengagement with the bore walls of the sleeve.

5. The valve claimed in claim 4 in which the sealing means is aresilient sealing ring which defines a circumferential channel withitsmouth directed towards the chamber and its outer wall flared to engagesthe walls of the sleeve bore.

6. The valve claimed in claim,4 where a pair of end plates hold thesealing means and wiper means in place between the end plates.

7. The valve claimed in claim 1 in which the sleeve projects into thechamber so that when the sleeve is substantially vertically located anannular duct is provided around the sleeve zone located in the chamberwhich serves asa trap preventing return of pebbles, grit or the likedown the sleeve. t

8. The valve claimed in claim 7 in which the outlet from the valve isdisposed substantially at right angles to the inlet to the sleeve.

1. A valve comprising a valve housing including a cylindrical sleeveforming a bore in the valve housing; a chamber into which the sleevepasses; a valve closure member reciprocable in the sleeve and capable ofbeing raised into the chamber clear of the sleeve to permit fluid,sludge or the like to flow through the sleeve towards the chamber; acircumferentially disposed wiper means mounted around the closure memberwhich is biased into engagement with the walls of the sleeve bore andwhich sweeps over said walls to cleanse the bore as the closure memberreciprocates in the sleeve, the wiper means being located within thesleeve in the closed position of the valve; and a guide means includinga mushroom headed pedestal connected to the valve closure member whichacts to constrain the closure member for movement gravitationally in apath which returns it to the bore of the sleeve on closure of the valveand which limits the return travel of the closure member, and acompartment operatively connected to the chamber and into which thepedestal passes with the mushroom head trapped in the compartment, thecompartment being adapted to be filled with liquid under pressure toensure that any bleeding from the chamber into the compartment will beat a minimal level.
 1. A valve comprising a valve housing including acylindrical sleeve forming a bore in the valve housing; a chamber intowhich the sleeve passes; a valve closure member reciprocable in thesleeve and capable of being raised into the chamber clear of the sleeveto permit fluid, sludge or the like to flow through the sleeve towardsthe chamber; a circumferentially disposed wiper means mounted around theclosure member which is biased into engagement with the walls of thesleeve bore and which sweeps over said walls to cleanse the bore as theclosure member reciprocates in the sleeve, the wiper means being locatedwithin the sleeve in the closed position of the valve; and a guide meansincluding a mushroom headed pedestal connected to the valve closuremember which acts to constrain the closure member for movementgravitationally in a path which returns it to the bore of the sleeve onclosure of the valve and which limits the return travel of the closuremember, and a compartment operatively connected to the chamber and intowhich the pedestal passes with the mushroom head trapped in thecompartment, the compartment being adapted to be filled with liquidunder pressure to ensure that any bleeding from the chamber into thecompartment will be at a minimal level.
 2. The valve claimed in claim 1in which the wiper means is a brush member.
 3. The valve claimed inclaim 1 further including a second guide means including a guide shaftmounted on the opposite end of the valve closure member from the firstguide means.
 4. The valve claimed in claim 1 including a resilientsealing means anchored around the periphery of the closure member whichis biased into engagement with the bore walls of the sleeve.
 5. Thevalve claimed in claim 4 in which the sealing means is a resilientsealing ring which defines a circumferential channel with its mouthdirected towards the chamber and its outer wall flared to engages thewalls of the sleeve bore.
 6. The valve claimed in claim 4 where a pairof end plates hold the sealing means and wiper means in place betweenthe end plates.
 7. The valve claimed in claim 1 in which the sleeveprojects into the chamber so that when the sleeve is substantiallyvertically located an annular duct is provided around the sleeve zonelocated in the chamber which serves as a trap preventing return ofpebbles, grit or the like down the sleeve.